The PanoramaInvented in 1788, the panorama reached the height of its popularity at the time of the 1900 Universal Exhibition. Vast circular canvases installed in purpose-built rotundas were designed to be viewed from centrally placed platforms and attracted an admiring public. The aim was to produce a perfect illusion. Thus the relationship between viewer and 'reality' underwent a profound mutation, opening up a new logic according to which the world was transformed into a spectacle and images substituted for direct experience. This lavishly illustrated book examines the wide variety of panoramas in both the Old and New Worlds. Included among views of cities are Robert Barker's View of Edinburgh and Karl Friedrich Schinkel's View of Palermo, as well as depiction of Paris, Moscow, Jerusalem and Lima; among historical themes, The History of the Century and Battle of Moscow proved especially popular. The author expands his subject to encompass the sister formats of diorama and cineorama. |
Contents
Introduction | 7 |
Prefigurations | 77 |
The Ideal Landscape | 84 |
A Theory of the Frame | 97 |
9 | 104 |
ΙΟ From NearFrom Far Away | 110 |
Experience Replaced | 129 |
Views Including Rotundas | 149 |
17 | 164 |
18 | 182 |
A Genealogy of the Panorama | 257 |
Photographic Acknowledgements | 266 |
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Common terms and phrases
artist attracted Battle of Morat Battle of Navarino Battle of Sedan beautiful Berlin Boulevard Montmartre Capucines centre circular canvas circular view Colosseum configuration Constantinople Corporation of London created depicting diorama distance effect Eidometropolis exhibited France Frankfurt Franz Roubaud French Friedrich gaze genre Guildhall Library Henri Gervex Henry Aston Barker Hittorff horizon Hornor hung illus illusion inaugurated Johann journey landscape Langlois Leicester Square light Louis Braun Mareorama movement moving panorama Musée Museum Napoleon nature nineteenth century oil on canvas opened orientation plan painter Panorama of Jerusalem panorama of London panorama of Paris Panorama of Rome panoramic canvas panoramists pavilion perspective Pierre Prévost platform produced reality representation Robert Barker rotunda Salzburg Sattler scene seen simulation sketches space spectator St Paul's Cathedral success surrounding Switzerland terrain theatres theme Thun tion took tour tower town Tuileries vantage-point Vienna view of London visitors watercolour